Carpet sweeper



Nov. 14, 1939.

J. M4 KENYON CARPET SWEEPER Filed Feb. 23, 1938 1 2 Sheets-Sheet l l g.e

Nov. 14, 1939. ,LVM KENYON 2,180,060

CARPET SWEEPER Filed Feb. 23, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNVENTOR. Fig. 9. M/felzya/z.

Patented Nov. 14, 1939 PATENT OFFICE CARPET SWEEPER James -MaxwellKenyon,` Accrington, England,

assignor to Entwisle crington, England & Kenyon Limited, Ac-

Application February 23, 1938, Serial No. 192,011 f In v(frreat BritainMarch 18, 1937 1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in carpet sweepers of the type inwhich each wheel is Vmounted on a separate `stub axle carried by aspring attached directly or indirectly to the sweeper casing whereby thewheel is resiliently mounted in relation to the casing, such stub axlebeing either hollow and having a pin afxed to the wheel rotating thereinor solid and having a sleeve aiixed to the wheel, rotating thereon.

The axles for the floor wheels of a carpet sweeper usually pass from endto end of the sweeper casingA above vthe dust pans but it ishereby-proposed to mount each wheel on a separate stub axle which iscarried by, but does not project through the end of the casing, suchstub axle being capable of limited movement in any direction in avertical plane but being restrained from endwise movement.

This manner of mounting each wheel on a separate stub axle has theadvantage that it avoids the use of axles passing through the casingfrom end to end thereby preventing the accumulation of hairs, cotton,uffs, and the like on the axles and also permitting the dust pans easilyand completely to be removed from the sweeper casing for the purpose ofdischarging the dirt and litter collected therein by the operation ofthe machine.

According to the present invention'each wheel of the sweeper comprises adisc formed with inwardly extending anges on its periphery which form acasing to enclose the stub axle and its supporting spring.

The invention will be described with reference to theaccompanyingdrawings in which:

Fig. 1 is an end view of a carpet sweeper showing one form of theinvention applied thereto, the wheels and brush being indicated inbroken lines.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the bearing shown in Fig. 1 drawn to a largerscale.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an end view of a modied form of bearing.

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an end View of another modification of the bearing.

Fig. '7 is a section on line 1-1 Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is an end view of another modication of the bearing.

Fig. 9 is a section on line 9-9 Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a section of another modification of the bearing.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3 the hub a of eachwheel A is affixed to or formed integrally with a short axle B whichprojects inwardly from the hub a towards the end of the casing C of themachine. The short axle B rotatesin -a iioating bearing D carried in aloop e at one end of a spring E the vother end e1 of whichvis affixed toa projection f on a plate F secured by screws f1 or in any othersuitable way to the end of the casing C. Instead of the end e1 of thespring E being aixed to the plate F it may be secured directly to theend of the casing C. The axle B and wheel A are prevented from movinglongitudinally away yfrom the end ofthe casing C by the usual end ironor strap c.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the hub a of eachwheel A is afxed to or formed integrally with a short axle B whichprojects inwardly from the hub a towards the end of the casing C of themachine. The short axle B rotates in a floating bearing D carried vin acentral loop el in a curved or bowed spring E, the ends e2, e3 of whichare afxed to projections j on a plate F secured by screws f1 or in anyother suitable way to the end of the casing C. Instead of the ends e2,e3 being aflixed to the plate F they may be secured directly to the endof the casing C. The axle B and wheel A are prevented from movinglongitudinally away from the end of the casing C by the usual end ironor strap c.

Instead of the bearing D being supported at the centre of a single bowedor curved spring E it may be carried at the ends of two or more curvedsprings the other ends of which are anchored to the plate F or to theend of the casing C.

In the forms of the invention shown in Figs. 6 and 7 and in Figs. 8 and9 the hub a. of each wheel A is aixed to or formed integrally with ashort bearing D1 which projects inwardly from the hub a towards the endof the casing C. The short bearing D1 is rotatably mounted on an axle B1projecting outwardly from a plate G connected by a spring E to a secondplate F secured by screws f1 or in any other suitable way to the 45 yend of the casing C, the spring being aixed at one end e4 to aprojection y on the plate G and at the other end e5 to a projection f onthe plate F. The projection g on the plate G may be at the top of theplate G as shown in Figs. 6 and '7, 50

' ing C. The wheel A and short bearing D1 are 55 prevented from movinglongitudinally away from the end of the casing C by the usual end ironor strap c.

Fig. 10 shows the invention applied to a carpet sweeper of the typehaving a metal wheel cover H which encloses the wheels A either whollyor partially. In the construction the hub a, of each wheel A is ailixedto or formed integrally with a short axle B which projects outwardlyfrom the hub a towards the wheel cover H. The short axle B rotates in aoating bearing D carried in a loop e5 at one end of a spring E2, theother end efi of which is secured to a projection f3 on a plate Flriveted or otherwise aixed to the inner surface of the wheel cover H,the springs E2 being of similar shape to the spring E shown in Figs. 1to 3. Alternatively the short axle B may be carried in a loop in thecentre of a spring allxed at both ends to the plate F as shown in Figs.4 and 5. Instead of the spring E2 being ailxed at one end or at bothends to the plate F it may be afxed directly to the wheel cover H.

In an alternative construction for carpet sweepers having wheel coverssuch as H the short axle may be carried by a plate connected by a springto the plate F or to the wheel cover H and the bearing may be aiixed tothe hub of the wheel, such construction being analogous to thatdescribed with reference to Figs. 6 and 7 and Figs. 8 and 9.

In all the diierent forms of the invention hereinbefore described thefloating bearing D or the floating axle BI carried by the spring orsprings E is normally arranged centrally in relation to the width of therim of the wheel and length of the hub in the space within the rim sothat when the wheel is in driving Contact with the brush pulley the axesof the wheel A and brush K are parallel.

Moreover the spring E is curved or shaped so that a relative movement inany direction in a vertical plane can be obtained between the wheels Aand the casing C when the wheels are in contact with the surface beingcleaned and pressure is applied to the casing through the operatinghandle, and allow the necessary pressure to be applied by the rim of thewheels to the driving pulley Ic on the shaft of the brush K to drive thelatter.

What I claim as my invention and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

In a carpet sweeper of the type referred to, a wheel comprising a disc,inwardly extending flanges on the periphery of the disc, a stub axlemember. a bearing member journalled thereon, one of said members beingattached to the centre of the wheel, a spring by which the free end ofthe other of said members is supported, the other end of the springbeing anchored to the casing of the sweeper to allow the wheel beingresiliently mounted in relation thereto, the said flanges forming acasing which encloses the said members and the supporting spring.

JAMES M. KENYON.

